Larger crayfish are better at defending shelters than smaller crayfish, regardless of what species they are. Small crayfish can escape competition by occupying small rocks that are not sought after by larger crayfish. The size distribution of the two species is shown in the frequency versus size graph.

What is the most likely outcome of competition between species A and B?

Question

Larger crayfish are better at defending shelters than smaller crayfish, regardless of what species they are.  Small crayfish can escape competition by occupying small rocks that are not sought after by larger crayfish.  The size distribution of the two species is shown in the frequency versus size graph.

What is the most likely outcome of competition between species A and B?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The prompt describes two crayfish species competing for shelters, with larger individuals being better at defending shelters than smaller ones. It also states that small crayfish can escape competition by occupying small rocks that are not sought after by larger crayfish, and it provides a size-frequency graph for the two species.

First, consider what strategies each species uses: larger individuals monopolize preferred, larger shelters, while smaller individuals can utilize less-preferred, smaller shelters that are less contested. This separation in resource use is a classic setup for resource partitioning, where species reduce direct competition by exploiting different portions of the environment.

Now evaluate the possible outcomes: if both species continue to specialize in different size-based resources, they can coexist by occupying distinct niches within the same habitat. This aligns with the principle of coexistence through niche differentiation, where each species occupies a portion of the resource spectrum.

Because the question emphasizes that larger crayfish win shelters and smaller crayfish avoid competition by using smaller rocks, the scenario supports stable coexistence through this partitioning of shelters by size. This situation is often described in terms of character displacement, where competing species diverge in morphology or behavior to minimize competition over time, thereby facilitating coexistence.

If we were to consider alternative outcomes not described in the prompt, such as competitive exclusion, that would require one species to consistently outcompete the other in all resource dimensions, which the text explicitly contradicts by showing effective use of different resources (shelters versus small rocks).

In summary, given the size-based partitioning of resources and the differential ability to defend or avoid competition, the most plausible outcome is coexistence by partitioning resources, consistent with character displacement concepts.

BIOL 1001 (090-095) Unit 4.2 Learning Quiz: Community ecology and disease

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